The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1887-06-11
,,xooLN,s FIRST INAUGURAL.
. Patriotic and Prophetic Document
--Malch 4, 1861

The inaugural address of Abraham
Lincoln IN 1851 Is "A mOdel of English
composition, as it is OF American pa
troIl.m. Ii can always be studied
with profit by scholars aud by states
men. pnt at no time would his word
of wisdom be more worthy OF attention
than now. Amid the threats OF civil
war aud slavery agitation, before q
people divided into aagry factions,
elamorlng for irreconcllable conces-
sions, he said:
TINS country with its institutions
belongs To the people VINO lnhaoit II.
Whenever they shall grow weary OF
the existing government they can ex-
ereise their constitutional right OF
amendiny IL, or their revolutionary
rignt to dismember or overthrow II.
cannot be ignorant OF tie TACT that
many worthy aud patriotic citizens are
deslfous OF having tile constitution
amended. Wnlle / make no recon-
mendation OF amendment, fully
recognize the fun eutnorlty of the
people over tue mnolc subject, 10 be
exercised Ia either al the modes pre-
scrlbed In the instrument &tseif; and
should, under existing cIrcunis canoes,
iayor, rather than oppose, 4 lar oppor-
tlnlly being Afforded IL the people to
at upon II | Viii venture Ia add That
10 me- tue convention mode seems pre-
fera0le, ID that 1t allows amendments
! 10 to-orlglnate with the people them
selves, instead oi only permitting them
To take or reject propositions oriSinat'
ed bY others not especially ellosen Tor
the purpose, and winch mignt not be
precisely such as tney would wish
either To accept or refuse. | under.
stand that proposed amendment to
the constitution has passed congress,
TO the effect that the federal govern
ment shall never interfere WIN the
domestic institutions OF states, lnciud-
ing that Ot persons held To service.
To avoid mlseonstruction OF what /
have SAID. depart from my purpose
not To speak OF particular amendments
so far rs To say that, holding such u
provision to be now implied constitu
tional INV, have NO objection TO Its
being made express and ir.evocable.
The chief magistrate derives all his
authority from the people, aud they
have Conferred none upon HIM To nix
the terms tor the separation Of the
States. The people themselves, also
eau do this II they choose; but the e.
ecutlye, as such, has nothing To do
with II. Ills duty is To administer the
present government as II came into his
hands, and to transmit IT, uuimpaired
10y blm. To his SUCCESSOR. Why should
there nut be patient conhience III
The ultimate justice OF the peopief Is
u'ere any better Or my equal nope IN
The worldf ln our difference, is either
party without faith of being IN the
rlghlf Ii the Almighty Ruler oi ma
Tons, with His eternal truth and JUS
hce, be on your side of the north, or
oh yeurs of the south, that truth and
.ha' Justice will surely prevail by the
Judgment of this great tribunal
American people. by the frame OF
Tue government under which we live,
.nls same people have wisely given
meir public servants but little power
ior mischief. and have with equal wis
aom provided for the return of that
nllle to their own hands at very short
intervals. While the people retain
Melr virtue and vigilance no admins
uatlon, by any extreme wlckedness OF
iolly, can very seriously injure the
government in the short space of four
years. My countrymen, one aud all,
MiaK calmly and we'll upon this whole
SUBJECT. Nothing valuable can be lost
W taxing time. If there be an object